Re: A Bit of my 2017 garden (Taiji)

Sun Apr 23, 2017 6:24 pm

Are those Large Red Cherry, Taiji?

I have those but DW made a mistake and bought some other seed for something like "Large Cherry, red" - or, something like that. I didn't know there was one with such a similar name but it's a determinant. Now, a determinant tomato could be okay but it doesn't have the heritage .

Some veggie varieties become like olde friends. I grew Large Red Cherry in the seventies ... because I thought all cherries were the same but I liked the idea of it being large ... name is really generic but that may have just made me more confident of success.

I probably didn't know anything about heirlooms, then. Didn't know the story about Ben Quisenberry and his special varieties (including that one). Thought all tomatoes were supposed to be red and round. Anyway, it always did well for me and it is fun to have it back every now and then.

Steve

A conclusion is simply the place where a person got tired of thinking.

Re: A Bit of my 2017 garden (Taiji)

Wed Apr 26, 2017 5:54 pm

Let's see, if I remember my math right(ly), 3! (3 words) = 6 possible combinations...this one they call Red Cherry Large! This one has been indeterminate for me and just keeps pumping them out all season.

I'm glad I'm not limited to just one variety of tomato, but if I were, it would be a Large Red Cherry. (or whatever it is) When picked at just the right time the burst of flavor can't be equalled (IMHO). It seems too, like each tomato is just a little different in flavor than every other one!

Cherry tomatoes seem to be more resistant to diseases, drought, insects, all the bad stuff. I always thought they were probably closer to what a wild tomato would be, and so had more of those survival qualities. Just my theory.

Re: A Bit of my 2017 garden (Taiji)

Sat Apr 29, 2017 7:09 pm

This is why I've taken to planting tomatoes from seed not more than about 6 weeks from planting time in the garden. These are only 5 weeks and about 3 days old and already about max size for the up pots. Just finished planting these out today; am still taking a little risk, but weather report says warming trend; mid to high 80's by end of week.

My peppers seem to be fighting an attack of aphids. I've never had this happen before on indoor seedlings. Maybe they came when I put them outside for hardening off? Or, this is the first time I've used Black Gold Organic potting mix. Is it possible they could have come in the potting mix? I doubt it but... I sprayed plants with DE. Seems to have helped. (white splotches are DE)

Re: A Bit of my 2017 garden (Taiji)

Tue May 02, 2017 5:17 pm

Your tomatoes look great!

As for the aphids on the peppers, I've had some travel indoors on plants I took in in the winter and spread to indoor plants. I use Black Gold potting soil and never had this problem, but I suppose anything's possible?

Also I thought DE needed to be dry to work?(edit: I did some googling and it sounds like it only kills insects when dry, but can be applied wet and will become effective when it dries out... interesting)

Re: A Bit of my 2017 garden (Taiji)

Wed May 03, 2017 3:45 am

Thanks! I think next year I'll shave yet another week off my tomato seed starting so I don't have to risk the early put out. ( I mean, start the seeds one week later) I have a few walls o water that I mentioned in another thread, but got to thinking they may not work in this area so well, since especially at this time of year there is such a great disparity between daytime and night time temps. I'm afraid the cloches would cook the plants during the day.

Yes, I was surprised to read too, that DE can be applied wet then still work when it dries out. But you can see the uneven splotches on the leaves so I think maybe using a garden duster may still be the best. I didn't have one. Maybe tomorrow I'll try to hold the plants upside down holding the soil in, and sorta dunk the plant into a very weak dishsoap solution then rinse. I'm still seeing some aphids on the newer growth. Can't really hit the plants with a hard stream of water at this stage.

Re: A Bit of my 2017 garden (Taiji)

Sat May 06, 2017 5:42 pm

It's not all peaches and cream! An example of the damage and disease that aphids can bring. Cabbage leaves curled and stunted. Blast them with water but they keep coming back. Today think I'll try insecticidal soap. Had to dip pepper seedlings upside down in it the other day. Did the trick nicely. Peppers are recovering. DE wasn't effective enough.

The aphids seem to hang out and attack my brassicas only at one end of the garden. Don't know if they overwinter there or not. Guess I just need to plant them all at the east end.

Re: A Bit of my 2017 garden (Taiji)

Sat May 06, 2017 7:28 pm

I've had good results from spraying them with a soapy solution. I use Dr. Bronner's or regular dish soap. Goal is usually to just keep them in check so the plant can outgrow them, I've never been to eliminate them entirely.

Re: A Bit of my 2017 garden (Taiji)

Mon May 08, 2017 11:32 am

Aphids are the reason I am a reluctant cabbage grower, Taiji. I threatened a couple years ago to stop growing them completely but DW makes good use of cabbage in the kitchen.

Try to get control of the aphids before the leaves curl so much that they cannot be reached by spray. Contact is essential for those organic sprays and I have used insecticidal soap and neem oil. Hit em from every direction and know that the sprayed plants are vulnerable to sun damage. So a late afternoon spraying is best. Rinsing with water from the hose may be a good idea about 12 hours later and before your high altitude location gets very much intensely direct sunlight.

Just my 2 cents - Good Luck.

Steve

A conclusion is simply the place where a person got tired of thinking.

Re: A Bit of my 2017 garden (Taiji)

Mon May 08, 2017 1:45 pm

Yeah those cabbage aphids are cool season pests, aren't they? I see them a lot in late fall and early spring on the Red Russian Kale that overwinters .

It helps somewhat if you have early blooming beneficial insect attractant -- here, some of the grass that are blooming like Sweet Vernal Grass, though my Golden Alexanders with yellow carrot-like blossoms are starting to bloom now as well.

I saw Hoverflies on the Golden Alexanders just yesterday, which usually means the Aphid Mummy Makers are among them somewhere even though I can't readily recognize them -- I just barely see tiny black wasps and hope that's what they are -- Aphid Mummy Makers, also Tricogrammas, Braconids....

One year, by the time I noticed the cabbage aphids, a bunch of them had already been turned into the tan mummies and tiny black wasps were all over them.

Learning never ends because we can share what we've learned. And in sharing our collective experiences, we gain deeper understanding of what we learned.

Re: A Bit of my 2017 garden (Taiji)

Wed May 24, 2017 8:48 pm

Here comes the Ambrosia! Broccoli has been picked; am waiting for side shoots. Early Copenhagen almost ready.

Mostly Red Norlands. This is my 2nd planting, the first was so heavily frosted that I dug them up and replaced them. They were just too stunted. I think I'm with Bri from now on in not letting my potatoes get frozen. I still was too early with this batch, but went down and covered them on questionable nights with a flannel sheet. Had to do that about 8 times but it worked! They're really doing well now.